Hiding

My mother’s day gift this year is getting to spend some extended time with my kids and grandkids- this is my favorite gift ever! I feel so blessed.  On this rainy morning, my grandkids were playing a game which involved gathering all the pillows from the house, along with their stuffed animals, onto the sofa. I watched them play as only preschoolers can in the magical world of childhood. They were burrowing under the pillows into their make-believe bunny world. A few pillows fell off and Sam’s head was exposed. He cried out, “No, I don’t want to see the world!”  I laughed as I thought to myself…  “ Yea, I don’t want to either!”

So often the sin and brokenness of our world overwhelm me. My first reaction is to pile up pillows to hide. I try my best to burrow down and get comfortable but the truth is it doesn’t last- – I try to fix the brokenness around me in order to tidy up my little space but without fail the pillows will fall off and I will cry out, “No, I don’t want to see the world!”

We are called to be in the world but not of it.  That is a constant struggle but we need to be encouraged daily by God’s word and know as believers, Christ will complete his work in us as we constantly move forward in our lives.

 “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” -2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.” -1 Peter 2:11-12 

So every day we faithfully cast off the piled up pillows and pull ourselves out of the bunny hole.  We stand confidently in this world through the power and work of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.  We take up our cross and follow Jesus being light and salt in a dark world… knowing Jesus wins, which means, as believers, we win too.  Hello, world…Jesus has overcome you!  So be encouraged…We can do all things in Christ who gives us the strength.

Just Jesus,

Sheri